Not sure? thanks x

Only if it's a breed which doesn't have CC status

Thanks its A shiba inu class for bournmouth... but no cc's for the breed x

Shibas can only qualify at shows where CCs are on offer.

Thanks, can I ask then why they put a class?

Thanks, can I ask then why they put a class?

Not really sure what you are meaning - people do not enter a show with the sole purpose of qualifying for Crufts, why would they. Shows put on classes because people wish to compete, when they stop entering you loose your classes.

Not at all sure that answers your question but perhaps you will explain more.

Thanks,
I only done 1 chmap show last year and wanted to do bournouth as its near me... But then relised there no cc's on offer so I thought wonder why? so then thought maybe that means no qualifying for crufts...?

The Kennel Club decide on both the number of CC's to be awarded in a breed each year and also at which shows they will be on offer.  Shows that don't have CC's can still have the breed included, this allows exhibitors to still take part and also judges to judge possibly bigger entries than they would get at an open show. The BOB can still go into the Group and get a placing.

As the others have already said though, you will not qualify for Crufts if there are no CC's on offer for a breed that has them

Only the National shows have CC on offer to all breeds so the others have some breeds with CCs and some without, those without are charged less than those with. There is always a chance that BOB from the breeds without CCs will do well in group or in the stakes classes, many of my own breed have had good wins and group places from classes where there are not CCs on offer.

People go to shows for the competition and to meet and chat with other like minded folk, learn about their breed and admire lovely dogs - they are not that interested in qualifying for Crufts and a few may well not go even if they do qualify.

> People go to shows for the competition and to meet and chat with other like minded folk, learn about their breed and admire lovely dogs....

Absolutely so..... and some people who don't own show dogs, find that going to shows merely as a spectator is a fascinating and really worthwhile day out :)

People go to shows for the competition and to meet and chat with other like minded folk, learn about their breed and admire lovely dogs - they are not that interested in qualifying for Crufts and a few may well not go even if they do qualify.

And also plenty of us have dogs that are qualified for life or youngsters that qualified at their first show -be very boring to stop showing as soon as you'd qualified,or indeed once you've made Champion.

Do think people think that Crufts is something special instead of just another Championship show. It is the biggest but the awards won are no different to any other Championship show neither are the judges. It is the only general show you have to qualify for but it is the only one that keeps you there for over 8 hours. So it is the largest, the most exhausting and the most crowded even if the entry is filtered.

i agree , a very long tiring day and a trek fom the car park !!!!!!!

I showed at my 1st Crufts this year, I dreamt of getting there with my special girl, and we made it and thoroughly enjoyed our day. Next year we'll make a holiday of it. For me, it is more special than the average Champ show, and there is the added excitement of foreign competitors too. I have only been showing for a year but in my head the show year runs from Crufts to Crufts! Lol

> Do think people think that Crufts is something special instead of just another Championship show

Not any more.  It is too easy to qualify for Crufts.  Quantity has taken over quality.

This probably depends on your breed

As most of those who are at Crufts will also have been at other Championship shows I do not see how it is considered different, noisier yes, crowded yes, more shopping for the GP yes, better conditions for exhibits and exhibitors, well IMO no.

I agree with Nova.  I feel the conditions are worse.  The lighting for one thing is terrible in some rings.  Basic facilities worse, particularly the refereshment side, and the getting in and out of halls too congested.  They really could do with making walkways specifically for exhibitors as trying to dodge pushchairs, children, and dawdling shopping public to get from A to B a nightmare.

The noise from the big ring in hall 5 is deafening and the volume unecessary.  Climate control - it is way too hot, they only cooled it down at 3.00pm this year by that time the hall had become unbearably stuffy. 

We had great fun shopping and visiting Discover Dogs, with our supermodel dog ;-) and the noise and crowds are part of the whole experience. If you or the dogs are sensitive to noise/crowds then it definitely wouldn't be as enjoyable to attend as many of the summer outdoor shows, but then they don't offer the same level of international competition, and range of trade stands etc. Perhaps I just have the enthusiasm of the newbie.

Climate control - it is way too hot, they only cooled it down at 3.00pm this year by that time the hall had become unbearably stuffy. 

Depends on where you are benched. If you are near any exit you will freeze!

Crufts IS special, in the very nature of the show. The fact you have to qualify (easy or hard does depend on breed, but you still HAVE to qualify), the fact it is the one dog show the general public knows about, the fact it is on TV, the fact you get foreign dogs coming over to compete that you never see at other shows, and the fact it tends to be the one show with one of the highest entries and where you get the strongest competition. I dare anyone to win BOB at Crufts and then say it wasn't more special than getting BOB at any other champshow! It is entirely different.

You also are much more likely to get a rosette at Crufts than any other show - this year we picked up 2 (for 1st place and Reserve Best Bitch), if that had been any other Champ show all we would have got would have been the cards.

Not denying it is special particularly to the general public but to the exhibitor it is undoubtedly the most uncomfortable and stressful show of all. Not sure what the appeal of the overseas exhibits is but they do attend other shows and we have even had them at our group open show.

Think it is unfair to dogs who are used to being or having access to the outside to be cooped up for so long.

Why on earth they do not have exhibitor only toilets I have no idea.

You are not supposed to walk your dog around anyway they should be on the benches and the last time I did I had a woman who after kicking my dog turned to her friend and said this would be great if it weren't for all the bl**dy dogs.

As to the stalls, they are my pet (no pun intended) hate, the useful ones are at the other shows anyway it is mostly the novelties that seem to take up so much space, to be honest I have all but stopped going as a spectator as it is anything but a pleasant experience.

Suppose if I do every get a new puppy who I would hope to qualify I may go for one last time but it would have to be a judge I respected. Would it feel different, well not in my breed you compete against the same people all the time and I do not think there are many who would not qualify so perhaps that is why to me it is different but not entirely in a pleasing way.

Not denying it is special particularly to the general public but to the exhibitor it is undoubtedly the most uncomfortable and stressful show of all

No way. You get somewhere to sit all day, you have plenty to do, you are indoors, everything is at hand close by. Compare that to a windy tent on a not so warm and wet summer's day where the tent may even leak and leave the benches soaked, with few trade stands, toilets miles away and nothing to do, at most normal champshows! Now THAT is uncomfortable and the flapping tents freak a lot of dogs out. And even if it is indoors, I have to say the show I hate the most is Birmingham National -awful venue, you freeze to death, hard to find something to eat, not much to look at, benches tucked away where there is nothing else -it's like being at Newark but for a much longer day. Stuck in a concrete cow shed.

We will have to differ I like Stafford, stopped doing Birmingham when it was at the NEC and  don't do LKA for the same reason.

May be it is the NEC I hate and not Crufts at all but I don't think so.

> I dare anyone to win BOB at Crufts and then say it wasn't more special than getting BOB at any other champshow! It is entirely different.

The most special win is the breed club championship show surely?

The most special win is the breed club championship show surely?

No I don't really agree, not for my breed anyway, because you have the exact same dogs as at Crufts (or in the case of one of our breed club champshows, less) MINUS the (few) foreign dogs. Plus it's unknown shows only known by people in the breed.

We are generally placed well out of the way in a side hall and only need to see the retail frenzy if we chose to.

Huge rings, good light and spacious areas around the benching. A great show if you bring a strong man to lug from the carpark.

I love it and many in my breed consider it on a par with our breed club show which is in the same fortnight.

Many overseas visitors stay for the spectacle of both but I'd say the crowds around Crufts are twice as big as at our club show.

> The most special win is the breed club championship show surely

For us it does depend on the judge.  Years ago Crufts from year to year was an enjoyable time as we never could guess beforehand who would get the breed.  But the past decade when we had a "breed specialist" they may as well have written out the placings ahead of time.  Ethics seem to have gone out the window and these judges take it as a last chance of fame for their own lines regardless.  3 yrs ago the judge openly said ahead of time who she would give the CC to as the dog in question was by her dog and bred by her best friend, and make the dog up and she did not care what people said.

The couple of years we had all rounders it was refreshing to see really good examples of the breed get the BOB without politics playing a part, and both those times were non-faces but with exceptionally good dogs who had been very hard done to at regular Ch shows.

Unfortunately for 2012 - 2014 it will be back to the same scenario and why even bother entering.

I guess the club Ch show could be viewed in the same way, but generally we get judges who are out of the loop of breed politics as members have a ballot vote to assign them.  Just occasionally a campaign gets up by a certain party to elect one who is biased towards them, but it is thankfully not that frequent.